What does it mean if you have lesions on your spine?

Summary. A spinal lesion is an abnormal change caused by a disease or injury that affects tissues of the spinal cord. Symptoms include pain, abnormal sensations, loss of motor skills or coordination, or the loss of certain bodily functions.

Are spinal lesions common?

Primary spinal tumors, which begin in your spine, are uncommon. Benign (noncancerous) primary spinal tumors account for 0.5% of all newly diagnosed tumors. Malignant (cancerous) primary spinal tumors are even less common.

Are spinal lesions curable?

Primary (non-metastatic) spinal tumors may be removed through complete en bloc resection for a possible cure. In patients with metastatic tumors, treatment is primarily palliative, with the goal of restoring or preserving neurological function, stabilizing the spine and alleviating pain.

Are spinal lesions serious?

The different kinds of spinal lesions can cause a wide array of dysfunctions — such as motor and sensory deficits. Spinal lesions can be either benign or malignant depending on their severity, location, and if they’re caused caused by cancers of the spine such as osteosarcoma or osteochondroma.

Can an MRI determine if a tumor is benign or malignant?

Despite the superiority of MRI in delineating soft-tissue tumours, its ability is limited because most of these tumours have a non-specific appearance on MR images. Thus, it is often impossible using MR to determine whether the lesion is benign or malignant [5-8].

Do lesions on the spine always mean MS?

It’s not known why some people with MS may have more lesions in their brain than their spinal cord, or vice versa. However, it should be noted that spinal lesions do not necessarily indicate a diagnosis of MS, and can sometimes lead to a misdiagnosis of MS.

Is lesion the same as tumor?

A lesion describes any area of damaged tissue. All tumors are lesions, but not all lesions are tumors. Other brain lesions can be caused by stroke, injury, encephalitis and arteriovenous malformation.

What disorder causes lesions in the spinal cord?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes damage, called lesions, to parts of the central nervous system. MS is a neurological disease.

Is a lesion and a tumor the same thing?

A lesion describes any area of damaged tissue. All tumors are lesions, but not all lesions are tumors. Other brain lesions can be caused by stroke, injury, encephalitis and arteriovenous malformation.

How is a spinal tumor diagnosed?

Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

MRI is usually the preferred test to diagnose tumors of the spinal cord and surrounding tissues. A contrast agent that helps highlight certain tissues and structures may be injected into a vein in your hand or forearm during the test.

What does a spinal tumor feel like?

Signs of a spinal tumor

Back pain that often radiates to other areas and worsens at night. Pain at the tumor site. Radiating numbness, tingling, or weakness. Less sensitivity to heat, cold, and pain.

How fast do spinal tumors grow?

Primary tumors often progress slowly over weeks to years. Tumors in the spinal cord usually cause symptoms, sometimes over large portions of the body. Tumors outside the spinal cord may grow for a long time before causing nerve damage.

Where are spinal tumors usually located?

They are often located in the epidural space, which is the area surrounding the outer – dura – membrane that protects the spinal cord. Intradural tumors form inside the dura and may or may not involve the spinal cord. Intramedullary tumors are intradural tumors that grow inside the spinal cord.

How do they remove a tumor from your spine?

The optimal treatment for a spinal cord tumor is in-part related to the type and location. However, the great majority are treated with surgical removal usually through a laminectomy and microsurgical resection. The goal of surgery is maximal but safe removal with avoidance of worsening neurological function.